Chemical type power plant for torpedo propulsion



Oct. 11, 1949- E. A. GULBRANSEN CHEMICAL TYPE POWER PLANT FOR TORPEDOPROPULSION Filed June 25, 1946 INVENTOR far/ A. Gu/b/v/As'e/Z ATTORNEYrlllillillflililllil Patented Oct. 11, 1949 J crmmoar. 1m rowan PLANTson 'ronrnno PROPULSION Earl A. Gulbransen, Pittsburgh,

Pa., 'assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 25, 1940, Serial-No.679,804

'5 Claims. (of. 60-50) My invention relates to methods and means forproducing steam under pressure and operating a steam prime mover. In oneof its more specific aspects, my-invention relates to the propulsionplant of a torpedo, hydrobomb, or the like missile orcraft and involvesthe use of a novel steam boiler for operating the propulsion plant. 7

It is anobject of my invention to provide methods and means forproducing a relatively. large quantity of steam under pressure byexothermic reaction oflcomparatively small quantities of chemicals.

Another object of the invention is to devise a chemical reaction steamboiler whose waste products are soluble in water.

A further object, in conjunction with those above-mentioned, is toprovide a steam-operated propulsion plant of small size which issuitable for torpedoes and the like craft. V

A well known method of producing hydrogen gas is to apply hydrochloricacid to finely divided magnesium. The reaction is accompanied by theevolution of large quantities of heat.

My invention involves a somewhat similar method but includes also theuse of means for utilizing the heat of reaction to form steam from waterin a boiler at definite pressure and temperature conditions. Magnesiumin finely divided form, especially in the formof salt cake with about 75to 90% Mg. also reacts with water at a much slower-rate. Both thehydrochloric acid and the water reaction are combined according to theinvention to obtain steam under pressure, and this pressure, or thequantity of steam evolvedby the reactions, is controlled by regulatingthe supply of hydrochloric acid with or without regulation of the watersupply. The reactions involved in this method in steam production are asfollows:

+82,040 cals./g. mole The reaction is contro1led,'pret upon the pressureof the steam thus produced, by regulating the supply of hydrochloricacid to the cell or boiler containing the magnesium containingsubstance, while the input of water may be kept at a constant rate inaccordance with the desired steamrate. However, it is possibleto alsoregulate the supply of water.

The reaction cell or boiler, as will be described more in detailhereinafter, consist preferably of a lagged chamber charged with a givenamount erably in dependence ofsalt pellets. Concentrated acid and waterare fed'into the boiler through separate ducts or conduit lines and jetswhich include the necessary.

regulating valves. A torpedo-type hydrobomb, equipped with a steampropulsion plant operating according to the above-mentioned features ofmy invention and having a drag of 3360 pounds, a speed of '7 miles perhour and a cruising time of 30 econds requires for safe performanceabout pounds of H2O; 40 pounds of concentrated HCl, and 20 poundsofmagnesium salt cake (Mg+MgCl2) in pellet form.' The reaction of thehydrochloric acid and water with the magnesium is governed by thetemperature, pressure, pellet size, and outlet steam pipe size.v Hence,aside from the control of acid and water supplies, a proper choice ofthese other variables is also determining for the rate of steamavailable for the propulsion motor.

According to another feature of my invention, a reaction of theabove-described kind is combined with the decomposition of hydrogenperoxide to result in completely water soluble gaseous reactionproducts. This decomposition is preferably carried out by introducinghydrogen peroxide into the magnesium reaction cell so that the followingexothermic reactions occur simultaneously:

Mg+H:O2+ HzO- Mg(OH)z+HzO The three exothermic reactions contributelarge quantities of heat for the production of steam from the waterintroduced and evolved in the reaction. The devices needed to performthis method are similar to those above-mentioned tion chamber between 3and the steam turbine or engine to be driven.

oxides of iron or cobalt,

the residual amounts of hydrogen and oxygen to 1 from the followingequipped with be supplied to the reaction cell. This can be done byadding a separate, 1. e. third container and 3 supply conduit for thehydrogen peroxide, or by 1 H202) can be employed.

A further improvement according to the invention consists in theprovision of a catalytic reacthe reaction cell or boiler platinum,palladium, or take care of combining The catalysts, such as water in theform of steam. The invention will be more fully understood descriptionof a torpedo a steam operated propulsion plant according to theinvention and represented in:

Figure'l by a part-sectional axial section showing the parts inoperative relation;-

Fig. 2 by a somewhat schematic showing on a larger scale of certaindetails; and

Fig. 3 by another schematic showing of other details also on a largerscale.

The drawing, though showing at I part of the war head of the torpedo, issubstantially limited to an illustration of sion devices essential tothe invention. The interior of the torpedo shell 2 is subdivided bypartitions or bulkheads 3, 4 and 5 and carries at its tail end rudders 6and elevators I close to the propeller 8. The propeller shaft 9 isdriven through a reduction gear box III from a steam turbine I I mountedon the bulkhead 5. The steam inlet pipe of the turbine is denoted by I2and the exhaust pipes by I3.

The steam producing plant include a reaction cell or boiler proper atI5. This cell is filled withthe above-mentioned pellets of magnesiumsalt'cake. Two manifolds I6 and I! have numerous outlet ducts, such asthose denoted by 18 and cell I5 at places distributed over the cylindersurface of the 'cell. The manifold I5 is connected by a pipe 20 with apressure container or flask 2I filled with hydrochloric acid of suitableconcentration. A valve 22 serves to regulate the supply of acid frompipe 20 to manifold I6. A similar pipe 23 leads to a flask 24 and isconnected with a regulating valve 25. A pressure flask 25, containing,for instance, compressed air, is connected by pipes 21 and 28 with theflask 2I and 24, respectively, to drive the acid and water into thereaction cell when the valves 22 and 25 are open. The flask 24 containswater, or water and hydrogen peroxide as set forth in the foregoing.Before the torpedo is launched, the two valves 22 and 25 are closed.When launching the torpedo, both valves are released and open to anextent determined by the control performance of the pressure gaugedescribed below. The release is effected mechanically, by inertiaresponsive switches or other time delayed controls that becomeautomatically effective. by the launchingmovement or acceleration of thetorpedo. These releasing devices are not illustrated because they arenot part of the invention proper and, in type, are

sion plant of torpedoes.

Immediately after the opening of valves .22 and 25, the above-mentionedreactions take place in the reaction cell I5. The gaseous and vaporthesteam boiler and propuldevices of the propulsion I9, which open into theexcept that a sumcient amount of H20: must also to maintain this ousreaction products pass through a connecting pipe 28 into a catalyticcell 30 whose outlet conduit 3 I leads to the inlet conduit I2 of theturbine II. A m'anometric gauge 32, inserted between conduits 3I and I2is connected, mechanically or electrically, through respective conduitsor conductors 33, 34 with the valves 22 and 25 respectively so that theelfective flow areas of these valves are automatically controlled by thesteam pressure at the inlet side of the turbine in order v pressurewithin the desired limit values. A safety valve v35 communicates withpipe 29 or some other part of the boiler and catalytic assembly. Theappertaining exhaust pipe 36 communicates with the turbine exhaust pipesI3.

Iin accordance with trigger apparatus is actuated upon launching of atorpedo. This trigger apparatus initiates the operations of a number ofdevices in a torpedo.

In the torpedo shown the trigger apparatus includes valve unlatchingmeans 40 and 4|.

-As shown in'Fig. 2 the valve unlatching means 40 releases the valve 42from its closed positionthe position shown. The valve 42 hasa backingspring 43 and is coupled to a flexible Invar rod 44 disposed in theguide tube 33. The rod 44 ends in a flat piston-like end in the devicedesignated the manometric gauge 32. The rod 44 is thus pressureresponsive and as the pressure in 32 builds up, controls the flow of thematerial from tank 2| into the manifold I6. The valve 25 is similar instructure and functionto the valve 22, and is similarly controlled fromthe pressure Since, as already stated, there may be a possibility thatthe reaction is not completed with the degree of completeness desired,in the reaction chamber, or cell,

I5, the products are transmitted to the catalytic cell 30. This cell 30is provided with a circuitouspath for the material as shown by thebailles 45 shown in Fig. 3. The baflles are preferably ofceramicxnaterial, or metal baflles coated with sand or gravel as shownand the sand in turn is covered with an extremely fine coatin ofplatinum.

If, for any reason, an excess pressure develops in pipe 29 and theassociated parts then the pressure relief valve 46 is actuated torelieve the pressure. The excess steam and gases passing through valve46 are transmitted to pipes I3 and are thus of aid in propelling thetorpedo,by means of a jet thrust.

It will be understood from the foregoing that nected to said cell forsupplying hydrochloric acid known for releasing the operation of thepropulthereto, at least one other pressure container having a ductconnected to said cell for supplying thereto water and hydrogenperoxide, a catalytic cell in communication with said reaction cell andcontaining a catalyst for hydrogen oxygen reaction, an outlet conduit inreaction and catalytic cells, and pressure-responsive control meansassociated with said outlet well-known practice, a I

communication with said catalytic cell to derive steam from said conduitand ama 9 5 connected with at least one or said ducts for controllingthe steam-producing reaction in said cell in dependence upon the steampressure in said conduit.

2. A power containing magnesium substance in finely divided water tosaid reaction cell in dependence upon the steam pressure.

3. A power taming magnesium salt cake and ing the supply from at leastone of said con- 35 tainers to said cell.

4. A propulsion plant, comprising a steam turbine, a lagged cell formagnesium salt cake and having distributor means for supplyinghydrochloric acid, water and hydrogen peroxide, a

reaction to obtain steam, and controlling the suppressure.

- EARL A. GULBRANSEN.

Great Britain the steam"

